In a recent cricketing development, former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has voiced his concerns regarding the Australian team’s prospects in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, citing the invaluable contribution of recently retired David Warner. Warner, who concluded his stellar international career after amassing 8786 runs in 112 Tests with an impressive average nearing 45, will undoubtedly leave a significant void in the team’s line-up.
Hayden, himself a prolific left-handed opener like Warner, underscored the irreplaceable dynamism Warner brought to the Australian side. Speaking at a media event on Wednesday, Hayden said, “For the first time, it doesn’t feel as secure. David Warner gave a great service to Australian cricket. He was extremely competitive and wonderfully dynamic. He really carried forward the legacy that I had set during the 2000s with great elan. His strike rates, which exceeded 80 (actual strike rate 70.19), offered tremendous momentum to the top order, which is generally quite conservative. Thus, his absence is a monumental loss in terms of finding a suitable replacement for such a role.”
Warner’s prowess in facing India is evident from his statistics. He played 21 Tests against India, scoring 1218 runs at an average of 31.23, including four centuries — all of which came on home soil, where he accumulated 760 runs over 10 Tests.
Hayden, who was present in Mumbai for the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards, also shared his thoughts on the idea of making Steve Smith an opener, a proposition put forth by George Bailey, the chief selector. “Bailey’s rationale was sound. He believed in selecting the best six players. You can’t contest that Steve Smith, with a batting average of 65 (actual 56.97) and 30 (32) Test centuries, isn’t among the world’s elite batsmen. However, the role of an opener is vastly different from that of a middle-order batsman. When Smith was trialled as an opener earlier this year in New Zealand, it didn’t yield the desired results. I had reservations then, and I still do now.
. It’s illogical to reposition the best-in-class batter to an entirely different role.”
In addition to these speculations, Hayden also lauded Pat Cummins, expressing high regard for his leadership capabilities. “Cummins is one of the greats of our game,” noted Hayden. Cummins has indeed led Australia to victories in both the World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC). Hayden extolled Cummins’ unique leadership style, which he described as markedly different from previous Australian captains who often employed a carrot-and-stick approach. “Cummins focuses on the individuality within the team, particularly in preparation, which is often a struggle in a team sport like cricket. His off-centre, unconventional methods have cultivated an extremely close-knit team over the past two years. Pat is bound to be remembered as one of our greatest leaders,” Hayden added.
Hayden also expressed his excitement about the upcoming series against India, suggesting that a five-Test series could bring unparalleled thrills. “The series is set to be extraordinary, especially with it being extended to five Tests. With just three Tests, there’s always a sense of incompletion; four Tests can lead to an unpredictable swing. But with five Tests, teams get ample opportunities to turn things around. It provides a better scope for winning, losing, and making comebacks. I’m thrilled about it. It promises to be a captivating series,” said Hayden.
It is noteworthy that India and Australia haven’t engaged in a five-Test series since the 1991/92 season. The much-anticipated series is set to kick off in Perth on November 22, followed by matches in Adelaide (from December 6), Brisbane (from December 14), Melbourne (from December 26), and Sydney (from January 3). India has managed to win the last two series held in Australia, in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 seasons. Australia hasn’t held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for over a decade, with their last triumph dating back to the home series in 2014/15.
As the cricketing world waits in anticipation, it’ll be intriguing to see how the Australian team navigates the absence of one of its exceptional players and whether they can overcome their recent series drought against a formidable Indian side.